Internal Medicine Organizations to Explore New Options for Physicians Maintaining Board Certification

The American Board of Internal Medicine, American College of Cardiology, American College of Physicians and American Society of Clinical Oncology announce collaboration.

Philadelphia, PA (September 7, 2017)—The American College of Cardiology (ACC), American College of Physicians (ACP) and American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) have committed to working with the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) to explore development of collaborative pathways through which physicians can maintain board certification.

This collaborative work is in its early stages, and each organization has committed to looking at the creation of a Maintenance of Certification (MOC) process in their specialty that offers board certified physicians flexibility in how they can demonstrate to their peers and the public that they meet standards and are keeping their medical knowledge current.

In these collaborations, ABIM will continue to set performance standards and issue certifications, and as this work continues, ABIM’s current MOC requirements will remain in place.

These collaborations are the result of an ongoing dialogue within the internal medicine community in an effort to improve MOC. Updates about the new pathway options will be shared as they become available.

Organizational leaders comment on Collaborative Maintenance Pathways:

“The ACC is pleased to join ASCO and ACP on exploring these additional pathways for cardiologists, oncologists and internists to maintain their certification. For cardiology, the ACC would provide clinicians with learning material and assessments modeled after its lifelong learning self-assessment program (ACCSAP). Helping our collective members in the provision of professional and compassionate care, while also keeping up with current knowledge, is a shared goal. We appreciate ABIM’s willingness to continue to listen to and engage with stakeholders in order to achieve this goal in a more effective manner.”

Mary Norine Walsh, MD, FACC
President, American College of Cardiology

"The American College of Physicians is pleased to have the opportunity to develop a Collaborative Maintenance Pathway for demonstrating continuous professional development that meets criteria for Maintenance of Certification, is relevant, convenient and rooted in the principles of lifelong learning. ACP's society alternative pathway will be based on our Medical Knowledge Self-Assessment Program (MKSAP®), which has helped physicians update and assess their knowledge in internal medicine since 1967."

Jack Ende, MD, MACP
President, American College of Physicians

“An expanded collaboration with other physician organizations and ABIM allows ASCO to build on the work of the ASCO MOC Task Force that proposed a model that now serves as a conceptual basis for the collaborative discussions with ABIM. The ultimate goal is to define a Collaborative Maintenance Pathway that is truly representative of the daily practice of our members, while also emphasizing our core value of meaningful, lifelong education.”

Bruce E. Johnson, MD, FASCO,
President, American Society of Clinical Oncology

“Through new collaborations and conversations with doctors, ABIM continues to expand our approach to MOC assessment. Even as we make enhancements to our own programs, we recognize that there can be other ways for physicians to demonstrate that they possess the current medical knowledge needed to care for patients. We appreciate that ACC, ACP and ASCO are working with us to develop assessments, which we see as another way to expand choice, relevance and convenience for doctors who proudly maintain board certification.”

Richard J. Baron, MD, MACP
President and CEO, American Board of Internal Medicine

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About the American College of Cardiology
The American College of Cardiology is the professional home for the entire cardiovascular care team. The mission of the College and its more than 52,000 members is to transform cardiovascular care and to improve heart health. The ACC leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. The College operates national registries to measure and improve care, offers cardiovascular accreditation to hospitals and institutions, provides professional medical education, disseminates cardiovascular research and bestows credentials upon cardiovascular specialists who meet stringent qualifications. For more, visit acc.org.

About the American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization in the United States with members in more than 145 countries worldwide. ACP membership includes 152,000 internal medicine physicians (internists), related subspecialists, and medical students. Internal medicine physicians are specialists who apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness. Follow ACP on Twitter and Facebook.

About ASCO
Founded in 1964, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. (ASCO®) is committed to making a world of difference in cancer care. As the world’s leading organization of its kind, ASCO represents more than 40,000 oncology professionals who care for people living with cancer. Through research, education, and promotion of the highest-quality patient care, ASCO works to conquer cancer and create a world where cancer is prevented or cured, and every survivor is healthy. ASCO is supported by its affiliate organization, the Conquer Cancer Foundation. Learn more at www.ASCO.org, explore patient education resources at www.Cancer.Net, and follow us on FacebookTwitterLinkedIn, and YouTube.

ABIM Board Certified Doctors Make a Difference
Internists and subspecialists who earn and maintain board certification from the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) differentiate themselves every day through their specialized knowledge and commitment to continual learning in service of their patients. Established as an independent nonprofit more than 80 years ago, ABIM continues to be driven by doctors who want to achieve higher standards for better care in a rapidly changing world. Visit ABIM's blog to learn more and follow ABIM on Facebook and Twitter. ABIM is a member of the American Board of Medical Specialties.

ACC Media Contact: Nicole Napoli, nnapoli@acc.org, 202-375-6523
ACP Media Contact: Steve Majewski, smajewski@acponline.org, 215-351-2514
ASCO Media Contact: Amanda Narod, amanda.narod@asco.org, 571-483-1795
ABIM Media Contact: Erin Frantz, press@abim.org, 215-399-1766